Quest of the Arena Malady
by Everqueen
Summary: Most of the druids of Norrath have become evil and cruel. Now a necromancer, unaffected druid and their friends must team together to find out why.
1. Homecomings

I don't own the world of Norrath or Everquest, which is owned by Sony Online Entertainment. I don't own Lole, he is my husband's character, but I do pay 13 dollars a month for the rights to Alisande, so here goes. I hope you all enjoy it.   
  
The druid sat alone, high on top of a stone at the druid rings of Steamfont Mountains, about a mile from the entrance to Ak Anon. This place had become her second home, a place she spent time in, refreshed her food and water supply, did her banking.  
  
Ever since she had been roped into helping take out the minotaur hero that had escaped from the Steel Warrior's Guild, with help from the corrupt guards in Qeynos, she had not been welcome in her home city. However, the people of Ak Anon had been very greatful that she had rid them of the 'hero' and had welcomed her into their subterrainian city whenever her feet led her to them.   
  
Lately, the young druid had been coming to Ak Anon frequently. People speculated that it was due to the death of her friend, Lolli. That she was helping out his family during their grief. For once, speculation was right. She had been worried for Lolli's family and had returned here many times to stop in for a visit after her first.  
  
She had been afraid that she would not be welcome here, that they would reject her. After all she had been with Lolli when he had died. She had not been able to save him. Before his death, she had been to his family home many times. People had always talked about the Pops family, how different they all were, yet so close knit. When the young druid, one of the few nice druids out in the world, had started to spend time there, people just had more reasons to gossip.  
  
Lolli had been a rogue, sneaky and quiet as she was light and cheerful. People had wondered how they had become friends at all. Lolli had younger siblings, the next being Lole, a small joke their parents played on them, naming them almost the same, just changing the spelling. After that came the girls, Charm and Tootsie. All the siblings had taken different occupations. Charm was now an enchanter, Tootsie a warrior. Lole, however, was the black sheep of the family. The necromancer.   
  
Mr. and Mrs. Pops were paladins. They had bemoaned the fact that their second born became a necromancer, but still accepted him into their family home when he returned from his adventures, same as the other children of the family.  
  
Where was I? Oh yes, the druid sitting up on top of the stone. Hmmmm, here is where our story begins. It has been some time since this druid, Alisande, had seen Lole. She had been there when he had started his training, buying him his first staff as a gift. She had heard he was doing fine, on her visits to his family's home, always having had missed him by a few days. Why was this druid sitting on top of the stone? To get away from the beggars, of course.  
  
She wanted peace and quiet for once, to gather her thoughts. Today was the two year anniversary of her best friend's death. In a little while she would go into Ak Anon and spend time with Lolli's family, but till then, she wanted time to herself.  
  
Alisande was staring off into space when she heard the tell tale sound of someone teleporting in. She looked down to see a bald head with a ring of bright red hair around it. A halfling teleported in right on top of him and the two small beings fell to the ground in a heap. The halfling druid jumped to his feet, desperate to get away from the black robed figure and scowled at him. "You should have moved."  
  
The gnome turned a glare to the halfling as he stood and dusted his robes off. "I didn't have time. How much do I owe you?" The halfling, one of the nastier druids out there, Alisande recognized him as Tennen, looked in disgust at the gnome, who didn't appear to notice. "It was going to be 20 plat, but since you knocked me down, it's 30 plat now."  
  
The gnome frowned at Tennen, as did Alisande from her perch. 'Nasty little halfling, gives us druids a bad name. Well, most druids give druids a bad name.' The gnome on the other hand just calmly reached into his robes and removed the required amount from his purse pouch and handed it to the halfling.   
  
Tennen sneered at the necromancer he had just teleported and cast a spell, teleporting away. The gnome sighed and began to once again brush his clothes off, muttering "Damn druids, lousy lot, all of them." He looked up in shock as a soft voice cleared above him "Ahem, well, while I do agree with you he was lousy, not all of us druids are like that."  
  
The gnome found the druid female sitting on top of the stone pillar and Alisande suddenly smiled as she recognized him "Lole?"  
  
The gnome frowned, blinking and then he smiled too "Alisande" She nodded and jumped off the pillar, floating to the ground thanks to the Spirit of Eagle spell that still affected her. She stood next to him, looking down at him and his smile got wider. "It's been a long time, Alisande."  
  
She nodded and looked towards Ak Anon "Yes, we seem to miss each other. How have you been, Lole?" She turned her attention back to the gnome beside her and in an unspoken agreement, they start walking towards Ak Anon.   
  
"I'm fine, Master has summoned me back. I am to meet with him tomorrow. I came a day early though, due to what the day is." his voice got quiet and he looked at her solemn face. She nodded to him, not ready to touch on that subject yet. "Do you know what he wants to talk to you about?" Lole shook his head, "No, but I will find out soon enough. How long are you going to be in Ak Anon?"   
  
Ali grinned "Well, tomorrow at the latest. I heard from some others that the minotaurs are acting up again, so I might go out there and check on that tomorrow." Lole nodded and they approached the large carved entrance to Ak Anon. The city had been carved in mountains. Gnomish guards guarded the front entrance, but both gnome and half elf were allowed entrance. 


	2. Confrontations

I don't own the world of Norrath or Everquest, which is owned by Sony Online Entertainment. I don't own Lole, he is my husband's character, but I do pay 13 dollars a month for the rights to Alisande, so here goes. I hope you all enjoy it.   
  
Lole and Alisande walked through the paths of Ak Anon, the various guards and merchants greeted both necromancer and druid when they passed by, a bit surprised to see them together. Lole watched Ali greet the gnomes with her typical polite manners. She smiled with delight as children came running to her, handing them fresh fruit from a pouch. They squealed with delight over the rare treat and scampered off with them. Alisande turned to Lole, a smile lighting her features and he suddenly saw her in a new light. No wonder Lolli had always hung around her, the innocent way about her made her irresistable. It didn't hurt that she was gorgeous to boot and was totally unaware of her own attractiveness.   
  
He frowned suddenly at his new feelings. 'Wait, Lole, you are a necromancer, she is a druid, no matter what, she is just a friend, the best friend of your late brother, nothing more. Besides, why would she go for you when she can have any man she wants.' He sighed and Alisande looked down at him "What is wrong, Lole?" He shook his head, clearing out his thoughts and smiled at her "So, how many marraige proposals have you had this week?" She blinked, pulling back a bit "How do you know about that?" she asked softly, uncomfortable.  
  
Lole sighed, obviously this was the wrong topic. She looked at her feet and then to the river that ran through the heart of Ak Anon "Honestly, I wish I could just have an adventuring partner that cared about being my friend and not wanting a relationship. They all want me to settle down, bear their sons and daughters and give up my life so they can continue their adventures. It's very unfair." She sighed and looked to him, seeing his unreadable expression.   
  
"So, you don't ever want to get married and have children?" She shook her head "That isn't what I meant. I would like to find someone that will love me, but I would like to have time with him, to get to know him. Then, when the time is right, have our children, but have him home with me to raise them. I don't want my children to grow up without a father like I did." She sighed and started walking again, him falling into easy steps beside her, surprising her when he spoke. "I would like to marry one day also, but all the women I meet are evil, present company excluded. All the innocent and pure women don't want anything to do with me because I am a necromancer. However, I would like to have a relationship with a woman like my folks have, to raise my children to be who they want to be. My family has never once shunned my choices in life. They have made no qualms that they don't approve, but not once have I ever felt unwelcome here. I want that, for me and for my children."  
  
Alisande looked at the gnome beside her "When did you grow up on me, Lole?" Lole gave a crooked grin and they stopped in front of his family home. He pushed the door open, calling out "I'm home, and I brought a druid home with me." He gave her a grin, right before his mother came bustling out of the kitchen, a welcoming smile on her face, her arms opening for her second born to hug her. Lole stepped into his mother's welcoming embrace and was held for a long time. She let him go with a kiss on his forehead, the way his parents greeted their children, and then pulled Alisande into a hug, the druid having stooped to be her level.  
  
His mother sighed happily and kissed Ali's forehead also, making Lole realize that his family adopted Alisande into their family awhile back, without him realizing it. Mrs. Pops smiled at them both "Finally, my whole family under one roof." Three sets of eyes moved to the small urn on the mantle, eyes filling with tears. Ali smiled and pulled a vial out of her pouch, drinking it. She immediately flashed, becoming a gnome, only her hair and eyes staying the same. Lole blinked and stared at her as she followed his mother out of the room.   
  
He was staring at the doorway when Charms came in, he looked at his younger sister when she spoke "What is wrong Lole?" He shook his head "She looks better as a half elf." Charms smiled at his words "Well, she uses gnome potions here in the house, says she can move more freely like that, but you are right, she makes a better half elf."  
  
Lole nodded and moved to his room. Alisande, he was told, stayed in Lolli's room when she stayed here and he looked at the door that connected his room to his older brother's old room. He knew it was the same from when Lolli was alive, with very few exceptions. He remembered feeling a bit of anger the first time he saw her personal items left there for her visits, but he soon realized that Lolli wouldn't have minded. The two had been inseperable from the start. He sighed and flopped on the bed, his mind drifting over her body. He blinked and sat up straight "What the hell?" He frowned 'Why am I thinking about her like that? She is practically my sister, since when did I desire Ali?' He sighed and rolled into a ball on his side, pulling the pillow over his head. 'This can't be happening, I can't like her that much, can I? What would my family say if they knew I was lusting after their adopted daughter.' He groaned and again tried to wipe the thoughts from his mind.  
  
He heard soft movements in the room next to his and without meaning too, he stood, walking to the door that connected them, knocking softly on it.   
  
Alisande had given Mama Pops the fruit and vegetables she had brought, leaving them in the kitchen before Mama Pops shooed her adoptive daughter from the room, telling her to relax a bit. Candie Pops watched her adoptive child leave, thinking that Alisande looked too pale and exhausted to her. She would suggest to Ali that she spend some time here, resting.   
  
Alisande sighed to herself as she walked into Lolli's room. She smiled a bit to herself. She had been given the option of redecorating it, a true sign she had been accepted into this family, but had chosen to leave it, not wanting to forget about Lolli and her past mistakes. She sat down on the bed, a bit exhausted.   
  
She kept her problems to herself, but it was time to change the bandages on her wounds. She stripped a bit, unwinding the bandage wrapped around her abdomen, showing a red angry wound on her side. She winced in pain, and put the healing salve on it that she had been given before rewrapping it. She hadn't been able to heal this wound, neither had various cleric's and healers she had seen. They were searching for a reason. At least the wound was not getting any worse. She sealed the ends of the bandage and looked up as a soft knock echo'd from the door leading to Lole's room. She glanced down at the bandage and called out "Hold on."  
  
Lole frowned at the door and opened it, having misheard her. He stared in shock at Ali, her being half undressed. Her abdomen was wound with a clean cloth, a bloodied one at her feet, she spun around, and he caught the wince of pain that ran over her features. He moved towards her as she dropped her shirt, looking up into his face. She backed away from him "I said hold on, Lole." He shook his head "Misunderstood you. What happened Ali? And why don't you just heal it?"  
  
Ali backed up, away from the gnome. In this form he was slightly taller then she was. He grabbed her upper arms, looking into her eyes before starting to yell for his mother. Ali shook her head "No, Lole, don't worry about it." He growled at her "Shush, you need help, althought I don't know why you don't heal it yourself." Ali frowned and was in the middle of protesting when Mama Pops walked in "What is wrong? Lole, let go of her."   
  
Lole let her go, just having realized he still had her in his grasp. "Alisande is injured." He pointed to the bloody bandage, Ali backed up from the determined look in the female gnomes eyes. "Alisande? How are you injured? Why don't you heal it?" Ali shook her head "I can't heal it, no one can and it's fine." Lole shook his head "The bandage is covered in blood, how can you say it's fine. How long have you had this injury?" Mama Pops was now tugging her shirt up, slowly unwrapping the dressing. They both stopped and stared at her when she spoke up "Six months."  
  
"WHAT?" Lole yelled. He growled under his breathe and turned and stalked from the room, too upset to stay to see the wound. Candie Pops finished unwrapping Ali's wound and gasped in horror. It was slightly closed over, but still oozing. She could tell it was not infected. "Why don't you heal it, Ali?"   
  
Alisande shook her head "I can't. Neither can anyone else. We have been trying for 6 months now." She helped her adoptive mother rewrap the wound and looked at the now closed door between her and Lole's room. "I made him mad." Candie shook her head "No, he is just worried. We need to find a cure for this, Ali."   
  
Alisande nodded and picked up the old bandages, ready to toss them. "Tomorrow we will go talk to the cleric guild here in Ak Anon, have you seen them?" Ali shook her head "No, I haven't."   
  
Later that night they held a family meeting, centered on Alisande's wound. She told them that she got it in the Plane of Disease, but she had received a few other wounds there, two of them from the same monster that had inflicted the current one. She had been able to heal the others. She assured them that the wound had been alot worse at the time and the bleeding had almost stopped. Lole was silent through most of it, now that he was watching her, he noticed that she was pale and looked tired. He guessed after 6 months of bleeding from a wound it was bound to make you weaker.  
  
They all agreed, with Ali protesting, that she should stay close to home till the wound healed. Taking heed of her protests, they all finally agreed that she would stay in Ak Anon and Steamfont till the wound stopped bleeding and seeping fully. Ali sighed and rose from the couch "Fine, I'll stay here till it stops bleeding, but I must inform my guild that I am going to be on vacation for awhile. They will need to give my current quest to someone else."  
  
Lole stood "I'll go with you, the surefall druids are still ok with me entering their domain." Ali gave him a small nod and she walked from the room, Lole looked at the others "We will be home in time for supper." He followed her to her room and she looked at him "Ready to go now so we can be back in time for dinner?" Lole nodded and smiled to her as she quickly read over her teleportation spell. Closing her book she chanted the spell and the portal opened. Lole jumped through first, followed closely by Ali.   
  
The druids looked up as the gnome necro fell through the portal and scowled. Their scowls turned even deeper as Ali fell through after him, landing deftly beside the small gnome, back in her normal form. The second in command walked over to Alisande "Didn't I tell you to not come back until your quest was done? What do you think you are doing, disobeying me."  
  
Alisande pulled herself up to her full height. "It has recently come to my attention that I am not able to perform my duties until my wound heals. I am declining the quest." He growled at her and got right in her face, grabbing her by the shirt collar, causing her to wince in pain. Lole saw the other druids standing around, watching with sick pleasure as Alisande was being abused by this man. "I don't care what your excuse is. You will do as I say, or I will remove your name from our leadership logs." Alisande frowned at him "I am not your slave, Treph, you can do as you want, but I was under the impression that you were assigned the quest you gave me to do for you. You said you had a sick grandmother to care for. However, I don't think your sick grandmother is in the druid house, drinking blackburrow stout with you. Do your own chores and leave me alone. I need time to heal and at least I had the decency to come here and tell you that I wouldn't be able to complete Your quest for you. Now let me go."  
  
The druid, Treph, hissed at the young druid before him and pulled his hand back, smacking her hard across the face. He was balling up his fist to punch her when a deep voice came forth. "I don't think you want to do that." Treph looked down at the small gnome, glowering at him. Making enemies with necromancers was very stupid, he leered at Alisande. "Ahhh, think you are better then us? Too good for elves, have to associate with gnomes now. You are a traitor and filthy gnome slut. You are no longer welcome here, be gone." With that he tossed Alisande across the room, leaving Lole to glare at him before rushing to her side, helping her up.  
  
Alisande was already standing when Lole got there. She stood, turning cold eyes to Treph as she grabbed Lole's hand and touched her ring, causing an instant portal to Steamfont to open. Lole jumped through and Alisande followed him, the portal closing on Treph's sneering face and the laughs of the other druids present. 


End file.
